Marwa: New dawn in NDLEA

The federal government has been greatly concerned about the magnitude of the rising trend in the demand for and traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances which adversely affect the international image of the country and the citizens’ wellbeing. The emergence of powerful and politically-influenced cross-border drug trafficking organization in the 1980s, prompted governments worldwide and their various agencies to commit to international legal obligation in the fight against such criminal activities.

Nigeria, like many other countries, has been in the forefront of global efforts at suppressing the drug menace in support of global peace and security. Despite effort by the Nigerian government, nothing significantly has changed in the international perception of the country and its citizens. Nigeria is still perceived as a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for Europe, East Asia and North American. The country is viewed as a safe haven for narcotic traffickers operating worldwide and a major money laundering center, and her people as criminally minded. Given such description, the nation and its people at International customs environment and elsewhere, have been subjects of International hostility and ridicule in both tacit and open repression. Drug abuse and trafficking are gravely of growing concern due to its broad impact on health and development. No nation seems to be immune to the attendant problems. Drug trafficking has particularly several implications because of the vast illegal profits it generates.

A strong indicator of the magnitude of drug abuse and trafficking from an economic perspective are the estimates of the turnover of the global illicit drug industry put at over US$750 billion by Global Financial Index and making it the second most lucrative illicit market measured after that of counterfeit and pirated goods which is estimated to generate as much as $1.13 trillion annually. World drug report in 2011 has shown that about 210 million people in the productive age bracket (15–64years) consume illicit drugs, and addicted drug users account for 27 million people while millions also die from illicit drugs and alcohol abuse annually. World drug report in 2017 indicates that over fourteen million Nigerians, that is, 14.4 % of the population consume illicit drugs. This figure must be worrisome to us as a country as it doubles the global average of 5.3%, in 2016.

The unsavory phenomenon of drug abuse in Nigeria is not new but progressive and systemic. In 1996 and 1998, an estimated 3.6 million Nigerians had drug abuse problems and over 10,396 patients were admitted for drug-related problems in psychiatric care facilities respectively. Various reports of assessment of drug abuse and addiction in the country shows a picture of widespread consumption of grade ‘A’ drugs such as crack cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine in both the urban and rural area. The potential abuse of volatile solvents and unimaginable substances like rubber solution, aerosol and sniffing of Lizard excreta and pit latrine by young Nigerians have continued to slide into the population.

In its frightful form, the NDLEA in 2017 reported that over 83,233 able bodied individuals were arrested and successfully prosecuted for various jail terms on drug trafficking and abuse-related problems in the last ten years. One can imagine the impact of this on national labour force and human capital development. Meanwhile, arrests for violent and property crimes traceable to drug abuse continue to trend upward in Nigeria.

The illicit drug trade is increasingly seen as one crime typology linked to money laundering, corruption, gangsterism, cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery and host of other crimes. It is not surprising that Nigeria continues to battle with insecurity because of the strong link between drugs and violence. Drugs abuse is at the center of it all. Child soldiers are engaged and drugged to achieve high performance. In some cases, drugs were the currency used in the commission of terrorist attacks as was in the Madrid bombing of 2004.

Regions of the world that dominate illicit drug production and trafficking appear to be in the forefront of political disorder and violent crimes. In EL-Salvador, drugs and alcohol are the nucleus of the problems of the country. El-Salvador is the world most murderous country with an estimated homicide rate of 140 per 100,000. Columbia is the world’s largest cocaine producer. Drug trafficking has been the fuel for violence in Colombia for decades and its internationally known as “kidnap Capital” of the world over while one quarter of its population have been assaulted.

Brazil is a top supplier of cocaine to Europe transforming the Country’s role in the trans-Atlantic drug trade at a speed that has stunned anti-narcotics authorities. Brazil has a homicide rate of 27.1 per 100,000 inhabitants and its state capital, Rio, has murder rate that is five times that of New York.

In our clime, news headlines have reported a huge increase in the national crime rate in recent times. Crimes that were once virtually unheard of in the country have become more commonplace with evidence of substantial social regression, crime with prologue-accompanied by acts of unspeakable cruelty and barbarity.

Aside from crime, activities pertaining to the production and distribution of illicit drugs could create several, personal, economic, political and national security hazards. There is the issue of destabilization and distortion of national economic plans, alteration of monetary and fiscal control, and inflation due to laundered profits. A serious implication of the vast assets derived from illicit drug trade is that it can be used to influence political decisions and overthrow legitimate governments.

The prevalence of substance abuse also has a devastating impact with substantial threat to economic growth and development as well as imposing heavy burden on the families and the communities. There is also the attendant economic problem of loss investment in legitimate enterprises as clandestine farmers and processors of illicit drugs funnel their savings into illicit drug activities. At the personal level, people with drug use disorder can suffer from a range of serious personal health problems, academic difficulties and involvement in social vices.

Eradication of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances must be vigorously pursued by all concerned. Through a reinforcement and enactment of a comprehensive legislation to supplement international measures already put in place. The judiciary must live up to expectation. The NDLEA Act cap N30 laws 0f the Federation of Nigeria as amendment provide for stringent sanctions ranging from minimum of 15 years to life imprisonment.

The arbitrariness being perpetrated by some trial judges encourages the illicit drug trade where in some cases imprisonment have been as low as four months or option of fine in a drug case that involves 1.44kg of cocaine . This is in spite of the fact that the Supreme Court has ruled that the minimum penalty for dealing in such hard drugs is a minimum term of 15 years.

There is a new dawn. Government in 2018 mustered yet, an unprecedented political will to confront the drug monster with the constitution of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA) headed by a visionary Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa(retd), now appointed as the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA to actualize the far-reaching recommendation by PACEDA. His appointment has brought new life and vigour to the agency. He has a mandate-the war against the menace of illicit drug trafficking, peddling and abuse is a fight to finish. He has enjoined all Nigerians to join this war on drug abuse as a battle to save our children and women, and ultimately our society and the country at large.

Morals of men and officers of the agency are high. Unprecedented seizures of kilogrammes of cocaine and heroin worth billions of Naira are being recorded at both our sea and land borders. There is a quantum leap of seizures in cannabis sativa and Tramadol in all the state commands on his assumption of office. Combating this menace must be sustained and will require the cooperation of all. A drug-free society is the first step towards a crime-free society.

Jossy PhD is Area Commander,

NDLEA Abuja Municipal Council,

FCT.

Leave a Reply